After all the work I’ve been doing on pant drafting, I’ve decided to start a new weaving project before I try to draft out a pair of jeans.

The weaving group is doing a “weaving canasta”.  You draw 5 cards from a deck, each with a different weaving requirement.  Then you make something using those 5 requirements.  My second card had ‘satin weave’ and since I only have 4 shafts, I was able to replace it. Yay!

So my cards are…

1. Orange
2. Use only wool
3. Atwater – Bronson Lace
4. Thick and thin
5. Variegated weft

Using only wool has been the tricky one as I have some lovely mixed fibres and silks that would have worked out really well.

My initial idea was to use a plain charcoal background with a variegated sock yarn.  The sock yarn was to be put in a check pattern, similar to a Burberry check, but having the stripe woven in the lace pattern on a plain weave background.

I’ve been told that I play to ‘safe’ with my colours, so I’m not going to use the charcoal yarn.  Instead I’ve ombre dyed a skein of wool in a light peach – just subtle variegation.  That’s my orange and variegated weft sorted out.  Using the same structure I had before for the lace.  Just thick/thin to do.  I’m going to use a light grey mohair bouclé yarn to outline the stripe sections.  Ok, it’s a light charcoal ( not as adventurous after all) but it’s just 8 warp threads – and I think the colours look good together.

The warp is ready to go onto the loom.

Here is how the sample turned out.  I like how the lace turned out but I don’t like the look of the sample.  Bedraggled old dishcloth?  I need to work out how to bring this to life more.  I think I’ll change the colour of the warp stripes (be a little more adventurous)  and use add more lace in the design.  I also need to change the lift-plan as my foot was screaming at me after just doing this sample.